Directions

Beat butter and sugars in a large bowl with mixer on low speed until fluffy. Beat in egg, extract, baking powder and salt. Beat in flour just until blended.

Divide dough in half. Shape each third into a 1-in.-thick disk; wrap separately. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

Heat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper, nonstick foil or reusable nonstick liners. On floured surface, roll out 1 disk at a time to a scant 1/4-in. thickness. Using floured cutters, cut out Santa shapes. Transfer with a floured spatula 2 in. apart on baking sheet(s). Reroll scraps and cut once.

Bake 11 to 13 minutes, until cookies are golden at edges. Cool slightly on sheet on a wire rack; move to rack to cool completely.

To thin icing for spreading: Add drops of water to tinted icing just until thin enough to spread.

To decorate Santa cookies: Use our photograph as a guide. Spread thinned peach-colored icing on cookies for faces; place 2 blue candy-coated sunflower seeds into wet icing for eyes, and a peach-colored sunflower seed for the nose. Spread thinned red icing on cookies for caps, above the face. Let dry for 2 hours. Fill a pastry bag fitted with star tip with thick white icing; pipe thick icing for trim on bottom of Santa's cap and a white pompom at the end of the cap. While icing is wet, decorate cap